How about a national standard for a non emergency police number, like 199 or something. Just last week i wanted to call something in because they needed someone to direct traffic or there was going to be an accident, it wasnt an emergency YET. The freeway onramp by my house was closed, the intersection after the onramp theres a left turn only lane and the road turns from a one way into a 2 way, car after car after car ignoring the left turn only and crossing the intersection driving the wrong way down a 2 way street. I called the closest police station, and its just a jail i guess, they dont have patrol officers, for traffic enforcement i needed to call this other precinct, where i got put on hold and just gave up. Sure enough there was a head on collision as someone turned onto that street at the next intersection down...

I watched a documentary about hurricane Sandy (yes, PBS was really on the ball). One Canarsie woman (married, I will add, before the fusillade of abuse) was in her flat with her kids and was watching the water rise. There was no power, the kids were terrified, and she could not get 911 at all. It was jammed solid. She used her head and tweeted using FDNY as a hashtag. A PR lady for the FDNY saw the tweet and got her a rescue squad. FDNY - New York's Bravest. Canarsie moms - New York's smartest.

Cyno01:How about a national standard for a non emergency police number, like 199 or something. Just last week i wanted to call something in because they needed someone to direct traffic or there was going to be an accident, it wasnt an emergency YET. The freeway onramp by my house was closed, the intersection after the onramp theres a left turn only lane and the road turns from a one way into a 2 way, car after car after car ignoring the left turn only and crossing the intersection driving the wrong way down a 2 way street. I called the closest police station, and its just a jail i guess, they dont have patrol officers, for traffic enforcement i needed to call this other precinct, where i got put on hold and just gave up. Sure enough there was a head on collision as someone turned onto that street at the next intersection down...

I like the idea, but 911 calls don't go to a police station or fire station. They go to a 911 call center that is maintained (usually)locally and from there your emergency call is dispatched to the more relevant emergency service. If it's a fire, the 911 operator hands your call to the nearest fire department. If it's a break in, the nearest police station that's covering that area, etc. Where would non emergency calls go? Would we have non-emergency 199 call centers?

I can understand there may be certain instances where you might need to reach out to EMS via SMS. (Hiding under the bed from Michael Myers and you don't want him to hear you talking or the previously mentioned instance where 911 is swamped with calls.)

However, that should be the exception vs the norm. Too much information is required to be passed back and forth between 911 and the caller. What's the nature of the emergency, what's going on, what help is needed etc. SMS would just get in the way.

Cyno01:How about a national standard for a non emergency police number, like 199 or something. Just last week i wanted to call something in because they needed someone to direct traffic or there was going to be an accident, it wasnt an emergency YET. The freeway onramp by my house was closed, the intersection after the onramp theres a left turn only lane and the road turns from a one way into a 2 way, car after car after car ignoring the left turn only and crossing the intersection driving the wrong way down a 2 way street. I called the closest police station, and its just a jail i guess, they dont have patrol officers, for traffic enforcement i needed to call this other precinct, where i got put on hold and just gave up. Sure enough there was a head on collision as someone turned onto that street at the next intersection down...

You should inform the accident victims and local paper that you'd tried to alert the authorities and been ignored on hold. It won't do any real good (they're under no legal obligation to do anything, even if someone is bleeding to death on their doorstep) but a little public shaming might not hurt. It will also help you add to your collection of petty speeding and parking tickets until they tire of retaliating.